The following is a list of colleges and universities with programs that would help someone in their pursuit of a career in technical direction ,character animation and Video Game Design. The list is dedicated to schools that many game houses feel caters to both the technical direction and to the more artistic field of character animation and Video Game Design.

Schools for Aspiring Game Designers

School/College	Programs & Training Offered
DeVry University NATION WIDE	Bachelor's in Game and Simulation Programming DeVry's Game and Simulation Programming curriculum prepares graduates to join the private and public sector game software industry in a variety of software development roles across the game programming life cycle, including programmer, software engineer and project coordinator. Applications-oriented, the program provides preparation in the math and physics of games; programming fundamentals; game design; modifications (MOD) and massively multi-player online game (MMOG) programming; two- and three-dimensional graphics programming; and simulation and game engine design. Also included is a full complement of general education courses, recommended by game industry experts as critical for well-rounded development team members. Request a Brochure >
Full Sail NATION WIDE	Bachelor's Degree in Game Art By focusing our training on the specific needs of the gaming industry, Full Sail's Game Art Bachelor of Science program is designed to open the gaming world to you, helping you develop the skills to become part of a specialized group of artists. These artists help to create the next generation of video games - innovating in visuals as well as in gameplay, and helping to shape the future of one of the world's fastest growing forms of entertainment. Game Development Bachelor's Degree Full Sail's Game Development Bachelor's Degree Program can get you on the road to a career developing, designing, and programming games for consoles and computers. Spend those 21 months here on Full Sail's campus, and you'll learn everything about the game development process from instructors with years of experience creating video games. Go in depth on subjects like preproduction and how to create game docs, programming and implementation, gameplay and level design, and how to create intelligent Artificial Intelligence. Working in a real world production environment with a team of programmers, artists, and designers - your fellow students - you'll develop an entire playable video game, from start to finish. Computer Animation Bachelor's Degree Full Sail's Computer Animation Degree Program features intense, real-world training, getting you ready to make your mark on the growing 3D animation industry. You'll learn how to bring your own creations to life in the same software package used for major motion pictures and top selling video games - Autodesk Maya. Our professional instructors will take you in depth with the techniques that make your characters and environments come alive - from modeling and rigging to texturing and compositing. Whether you're dreaming of creating art for video games, or fantastic characters for an animated feature, we can help you turn your raw talent into a career in 3D computer animation. Request a Brochure >
ITT Tech ITT Tech Online over 85 locations nationwide	The Digital Entertainment and Game Design program in the School of Drafting and Design at the ITT Technical Institutes can help graduates prepare for career opportunities in a variety of entry-level positions involving the technology associated with the design and development of digital games and multimedia applications. Courses in this program offer a foundation in digital game design through the study of subjects such as gaming technology, game design process, animation, level design and general education coursework. Graduates of this program may pursue entry-level career opportunities in a number of different digital entertainment and game design companies. Job functions may include working in a team to design, develop, test and produce video games, or create animations and 3D scenes for use in video games. Request a Brochure >
The Art Institute Animation & Video Game Design Programs Online	Animation Program Animation involves bringing artwork and characters to life with such precision that they truly seem real. Animation is part acting, part storytelling, and part visual art - it's a mix of both electronic arts and traditional animation skills. You'll study methods to create realistic movement in 3-D digital environments, and collaborate within a team environment to gain practical experience. Graduates are prepared to seek entry-level employment such as 3-D character animator, modeler, and storyboarder. Game Art & Design Program Graduates are prepared to enter the Game Art and Design field as modelers, storyboard artists, animation artists, 3-D illustrators, digital artists, FX artists, video post-production artists, and broadcast graphics designers, as well as game designers. Learn what it takes to produce great art and design and use the skill to create applications used by the business, education, training and entertainment industries. Request a Brochure >
Digital Media Arts College Boca Raton, Florida	Learn from industry experts from leading companies such as SEGA, ImageWorks, Disney, and more. We're one of the United States' most technologically equipped digital artist colleges. We have the tools and techniques to empower your creative career. Take classes in artist-designed labs and facilities. Learn from experts in digital artistry. Work with industry-standard animation tools, 3D software, and imaging technologies. All at DMAC. Request a Brochure >
Westwood College of Technology - Online Online Classes	Westwood College Online offers a diverse curriculum that focuses primarily on the chosen degree field and is enhanced by general education courses. Students receive a truly comprehensive education; our Game Art & Design Program teaches both Maya and 3DS Max, which allows students to work in their preferred format. Many other video game design programs teach only one of these packages. To top it all off, students get exposure to game engines through our program, and this is certainly a benefit to them. * Conceptualizing and developing ideas for cartoons and animations * Using life drawing and rendering techniques to develop characters, backgrounds and stories * Creating 2D and 3D characters and animation for the Web, digital media, television, movies and software * Utilizing the laws of motion and physics to create life-like motion for the animated characters you create * Integrating audio and video effects to create animated features This is just a highlight of our online animation program. Students are prepared for the challenges of a career and provided with skills to navigate the ever-changing trends in animation. Picture yourself in the creative career you have been dreaming of, and work towards that goal with the help of Westwood College Online! Request a Brochure >
ITT Tech ITT Tech Online over 85 locations nationwide	Digital Entertainment and Game Design program: Graduates of this program may pursue entry-level career opportunities in a number of different digital entertainment and game design companies. Job functions may include working as part of a team to help design, develop, test and produce video games, or create animations and 3D scenes for use in video games. Request a Brochure >
Collins College Tempe, AZ	Bachelor's in: Animation, Game Design, Media Arts, Visual Communications and Graphic Design Request a Brochure >
Ex'pression College for Digital Arts 6601 Shellmound St. Emeryville , CA 94608	Ex'pression Digital Visual Media Program is designed to enhance your knowledge and skills through an intensive series of courses that cover a wide spectrum of digital visual media including 3D modeling and animation, texture and lighting, compositing, digital film and video effects, creating graphics for the Internet and more. You will gain experiential knowledge through extensive lab time using multiple hardware platforms. A one-to-one (student-to-machine) lab ratio allows you to individually explore the intricacies of a wide variety of graphics software. Request a Brochure >
Westwood Online Westwood Campus Anaheim, CA Upland, CA Long Beach, CA Denver, CO Woodridge, IL Schiller Park, IL Calumet City, IL Chicago, IL Euless, TX Houston, TX	Animation, Graphic Design and Multimedia, CAD / Architectural Drafting, Visual Communications and Web Design And Multimedia Request a Brochure >
IADT - Toronto Toronto, Ontario	Diploma's in: Computer Animation in Post-Production, Digital Film and Television Production, Computer Graphics Series, Digital Media Design, Computer Assisted Drafting (CADD). Request a Brochure >
IADT - Tampa Tampa, FL	Bachelor's in: Computer Animation, Web Development and Graphic Design Associate's in: Computer Animation, Web Development and Graphic Design Request a Brochure >
Brooks College Long Beach, CA	Associate's in: Animation, Multimedia and Graphic Design
Platt College Los Angeles, CA Newport Beach, CA Ontario, CA	Multimedia Certificate:3D Modeling & Animation,Digital Video Motion Graphics,Interface Design Graphic Design Associate of Arts Degree,Visual Communications Bachelor of Arts Degree and Graphic Design Diploma.
Illinois Institute of Art Schaumburg, IL	3D Animation Principles and Techniques Game Art & Design Media Arts & Animation Visual Effects & Motion Graphics
Academy of Art College San Francisco, CA	Game Arts, 3D Animation, Comic Book Illustration, Visual Effects, Web Design
The Art Institute of Phoenix Phoenix, AZ	Located in Phoenix, Arizona, offering Digital Media Production, Game Art Design, Graphic Design,Media Arts & Animation, Visual Effects & Motion Graphics curricula.
Art Institute International MN	Media Arts, Animation, Visual Effects, Motion Graphics(Flash), Multimedia & Web Design
The Art Institute of California San Diego, CA	Game Art & Design(BS), Media Arts & Animation(BS)
The Art Institute of California - Orange County Orange County, CA	Game Art and Design, Media Arts and Animation, Interactive Media Design
ITT Tech Online ITT Tech Online has over 85 locations nationwide	Digital Entertainment and Game Design: Graduates of this program may pursue entry-level career opportunities in a number of different digital entertainment and game design companies. Job functions may include working as part of a team to help design, develop, test and produce video games, or create animations and 3D scenes for use in video games.
California Design College Los Angeles, CA	CAD(Game Level Design), Multimedia(Flash Design)
Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA	Undergrad. Admissions: (626)396-2373 Career Resources Dept.: (818) 396-2320
California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) Valencia, CA	Undergrad. Admissions: (805) 255-1050 Dept. of Film & Video: (805) 253-7825 Character Animation: (805) 253-7818 Career Services: Frank Terry (805) 222-2761
Pratt Institute Brooklyn, NY	Computer Graphics & Interactive Media: (718) 636-3411 Career Services: (718) 636-3506
San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA	3D Animation and Multimedia: (415) 338-1629 Multimedia/Film: (415) 338-1629 Career Services: (415) 338-1761 Multimedia Certificate Program: (415) 904-7700 Inter Arts: (415) 338-1478
Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, GA	Computer Animation: (912) 238-2425 Director of Career Services: (912) 238-2401
John Hopkins University Columbia, MD	Multimedia & Web Design, 3D Design, Animation Design
Fairleigh Dickinson University University, NJ	Multimedia & Web Design, 3D Design, Animation Design
Skidmore College White plains, NY	Multimedia & Web Design, 3D Design, Animation Design